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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 08

Here's a taste of some of the Colour Expert questions and answers to help you with your own colour scheme.

If you would like more colour advice for your project, please ask our Colour Expert for help or come in and see our staff at your local Resene ColorShop or Reseller. Colours are a representation only.

 
 
 
 

Q&A   p. 08

Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.


Q. I am searching for the colour to replace Resene Tea and Resene Half Tea in hall, open plan living and kitchen. We have Rimu joinery and flooring, neutral earth tone carpet and a feature wall of brown/grey stone. I want light, warmth and complexity. The adjoining room is Resene Double Spanish White (which I love). The Resene Tea has always seemed too grey for me. We currently have a Resene Gravel wall in the dining area - I love the depth of colour but it’s too grey for the stone wall. I am looking at Resene Masala or Resene Half Chicago.

A. I suspect that after seeing (and loving) Resene Double Spanish White you would see the Resene Tea palette of colours as greyish by comparison. Another reason it may seem greyish is because of the Rimu joinery which is warm and yellowish or perhaps because of the quality of light. within the spaces which can alter how you see colour quite drastically.

Perhaps you could investigate warmer yellow/brown neutrals such as Resene Akaroa and lighter Resene Quarter Akaroa, or Resene Eighth Akaroa or Resene Half Bison Hide and lighter Resene Quarter Bison Hide.

For a deeper colour to work with the stone wall, you could consider Resene Quarter Masala, which is a similar depth to Resene Half Chicago but not as yellow based or possibly a bit deeper - Resene Half Masala.

Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Double Spanish White
Resene Double Spanish White
Resene Gravel
Resene Gravel
Resene Masala
Resene Masala
Resene Half Chicago
Resene Half Chicago
Resene Akaroa
Resene Akaroa
Resene Quarter Akaroa
Resene Quarter Akaroa
Resene Eighth Akaroa
Resene Eighth Akaroa
Resene Half Bison Hide
Resene Half Bison Hide
Resene Quarter Bison Hide
Resene Quarter Bison Hide
Resene Half Masala
Resene Half Masala
August 2013

Q. Do Rimu wooden window frames and doors go with Resene White Pointer (half strength on walls/quarter strength on ceiling)?

A. The Resene White Pointer palette of colours may throw a little taupe/pink in close association with the Rimu. It all rather depends on what type of natural light you get into this room and also the other dominant colours - kitchen cabinetry, carpets or other flooring and curtains or blinds. Colour is a chameleon and undergoes constant changes. If after carefully trialing the colours you get a feeling all may not be well you might see if Resene Wan White or lighter Resene Quarter Wan White suit better. If you apply 2 coats of the testpot onto A2 card leaving an unpainted border all around the edges you can move it around - different walls/different angles/different times of the day or night and it would pay to pin the lighter colour on the ceiling. Colours always appear deeper when viewed from this angle. You will see huge differences of colour change and this will help you make better decisions.

Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Wan White
Resene Wan White
Resene Quarter Wan White
Resene Quarter Wan White
August 2013

Q. What is a nice crisp white to team as trim for Resene Half Rakaia?

A. You might like the look of either of these two - both would work really well with Resene Quarter Rakaia, which is a silvery grey with a little lilac/mauve in it – Resene Half Alabaster or Resene Quarter Black White.

Resene Half Rakaia
Resene Half Rakaia
Resene Quarter Rakaia
Resene Quarter Rakaia
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Black White
Resene Quarter Black White
August 2013

Q. We have just purchased a new stainless steel oven and want to put a glass splashback up but are unsure what colour to go with. Our kitchen wall is Resene Speed Demon and the bench is a charcoal colour.

A. If all the walls in the kitchen are Resene Speed Demon then you might find creating a feature colour behind the cook top will be extremely difficult as the Resene Speed Demon wants to be the only feature in the kitchen. Reds are jealous of competition. Perhaps by just having a low iron oxide crystal clear glass put over the Resene Speed Demon to protect the wall behind the cook top may be enough. I recommend the low iron oxide clear glass as it doesn't alter the colour - whereas the standard glass which has a greenish cast to it could make it look brown or dirty and people might say that it isn't a good match. If you are hanging out for something else behind the cook top, you could look at a metallic like Resene Aluminium, which will be similar to the oven and therefore a 'neutral' and not compete with the Resene Speed Demon.

Resene Speed Demon
Resene Speed Demon
Resene Aluminium
Resene Aluminium
August 2013

Q. We want to pick a neutral wall paint colour to match the following house features: brown cork tiles floor in kitchen, Rimu skirting boards, New Denim Blue joinery, almond ivory coloured bathroom fittings and a maroon coloured leather lounge suite. The present wall colour is a creamy white colour. We would like to have some other colours for feature walls and our daughter wants a turquoise feature wall in her bedroom. Any suggestions in place of the present creamy colour?

A. You might like to try Resene Eighth Drought, Resene Quarter Truffle or Resene Half Tea. It can be difficult when you have very definite colours within the house as they are a bit determined to limit your choices. Often the carpet controls how wall colours are seen so that is another existing element that you haven't mentioned as are existing curtains. If your daughter favours a turquoise feature wall in her bedroom there are so amazing colours for her to choose from - she might like Resene Seeker or softer Resene Retreat. Is the colour to co-ordinate with existing duvet or curtains? It pays to look at everything together to ensure they like each other.

Resene Eighth Drought
Resene Eighth Drought
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Seeker
Resene Seeker
Resene Retreat
Resene Retreat
August 2013

Q. We are installing a new kitchen and are looking for a colour to paint the walls. The kitchen has lacquered cabinets in gloss Resene Alabaster with aluminium toe kick and recessed handles, the top is stone white ice, so all fairly neutral. We will be putting in a glass splashback and we’re not sure if we use colour on this or keep it neutral and put colour on the walls.

A. For a splashback with character but not too over the op you could try using a metallic neutral colour such as Resene Pure Pewter or Resene Internet. Colours for walls could be quite soft neutrals such as Resene Eighth Ash, Resene Quarter White Pointer or Resene Quarter Foggy Grey. These neutrals will co-ordinate well with the work top colour and the sleek glossy Resene Alabaster cabinets but still allow you freedom to accessorise with a splash or two of colour.

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Pure Pewter
Resene Pure Pewter
Resene Internet
Resene Internet
Resene Eighth Ash
Resene Eighth Ash
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
August 2013

Q. I currently have Resene Double Sea Fog on most of my house interior. It’s presently undergoing extensive renovation and I’m considering Resene White Pointer as it’s a south facing new kitchen and living room. Is Resene White Pointer considered a warm or cool colour and how does it differ from Resene Double Sea Fog?

A. Resene White Pointer is a little warmer (more of a grey/taupe) than Resene Double Sea Fog but because of the south facing room and the grey type of cool light in this space which makes a lot of colours seem cooler and more grey toned you might also consider looking at Resene Quarter Truffle.

Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Quarter Truffle
August 2013

Q. I would like some advice on exterior colours for our new build. We are keen on a Gull Grey roof and Silver Pearl aluminium. The plaster cladding must be painted in a colour with an LRV above 40. We would like the Linea© and perhaps the garage door to be a darkish grey.

A. For the plaster finish that required a light colour to comply with building constraints you could try Resene Half Ash, Resene Triple Sea Fog or Resene Quarter Delta. These are light and sympathetic to the Gull Grey/Silver Pearl you have chosen for the house. Darker colours for the Linea© that you might like to try are Resene Double Stack, Resene Half Chicago or Resene Half Baltic Sea.

Resene Gull Grey
Resene Gull Grey
Resene Halfh Ash
Resene Half Ash
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Quarter Delta
Resene Quarter Delta
Resene Double Stack
Resene Double Stack
Resene Half Chicago
Resene Half Chicago
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Half Baltic Sea
 
August 2013

Q. We are building a new house. I would like to use Resene Pearl Lusta or Resene Double Pearl Lusta on walls (low sheen). What strength Resene Pearl Lusta would you suggest for flat finish ceilings? Also what strength for exterior low sheen soffits? Is it possible to get sixteenth Resene Pearl Lusta?

A. You might like to look at using Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta if you are wanting a really white look for ceilings and soffits. If you wanted 'whiter' than Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta then you could use Resene White, which is as 'white' as you can go. If you compare the colour codes you will see their similarity. All colours in an interior seem stronger than when you look at a small sample. For example Resene Pearl Lusta could look as strong as Resene Double Pearl Lusta and Resene Double Pearl Lusta could look as strong as Resene Triple Pearl Lusta. Trial your colours carefully in the spaces that you intend to place them and check out how they alter in natural and artificial light.

Resene Pearl Lusta
Resene Pearl Lusta
Resene Double Pearl Lusta
Resene Double Pearl Lusta
Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta
Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Triple Pearl Lusta
Resene Triple Pearl Lusta
August 2013

Q. We are planning our new house and are struggling to find the right black for the job. The house is l-shaped and mono pitch, with all Linea© weatherboard, the joinery and roof is Matt Sandstone Grey, and we have some columns at the front in Eldorado stone Rustic Ledge Cambridge. Originally we were aiming to emanate a modern beach bach with the colours. We have tried Resene Double Foundry and Resene Double Cod Grey but feel they both look too grey. Perhaps because of our contrasting/complementary joinery/roofing we could get away with a more solid black?

A. You might like to try Resene Bokara Grey or Resene Nero. It would be worth considering using the Resene CoolColour™ version of these colours if you decide to use a dark colour, as the CoolColour will reflect more heat than a standard colour. If you want to avoid a glossy black look, opt for a lower sheen finish like Resene Lumbersider.

COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey
COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey
Resene Double Foundry
Resene Double Foundry
Resene Double Cod Grey
Resene Double Cod Grey
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Nero
Resene Nero
August 2013

Q. We are building a house and looking for external colours. We think we are wanting a dark roof, light coloured stucco and darker siding (with a green/earthy undertone) since the windows will have green tint.

A. You might like to try the Resene Thorndon Cream palette of colours as they look a little similar to the colours you favour - perhaps Resene Double Thorndon Cream (also available as Resene Triple Thorndon Cream) as the sidings and Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream for the stucco. Or alternatively you might like to try Resene Double Ash with Resene Half Joanna or Resene Foggy Grey used with Resene Quarter Ash. If you can pop into your nearest Resene ColorShop and view the A4 samples of these colours in the in store Colour Library you will get a much better and truer idea of what they actually look like. Colour seen in print (magazines) or on the computer can be very deceptive.

Resene Double Thorndon Cream
Resene Double Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Double Ash
Resene Double Ash
Resene Half Joanna
Resene Half Joanna
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Ash
Resene Quarter Ash
August 2013

Q. We are in the process of building a house and I have thought about painting the living areas Resene Villa White with the ceilings etc Resene Eighth Rice Cake however I was wondering if you had a shade (or maybe two shades) slightly darker than both colours. What would you recommend?

A. Resene Eighth Rice Cake is at the lighterend of a family group of deeper colours - Resene Quarter Rice Cake, Resene Half Rice Cake, Resene Rice Cake, Resene Double Rice Cake and Resene Triple Rice Cake. They are all more subdued and slightly greener than the Resene Villa White palette of colours, which is slightly sweeter/creamier.

There aren't any standard deeper versions of Resene Villa White but there is Resene Half Villa White and Resene Quarter Villa White. Resene ColorShop staff can tint a double strength version of Resene Villa White if you did want to use a darker version.

Resene Villa White
Resene Villa White
Resene Eighth Rice Cake
Resene Eighth Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Triple Rice Cake
Resene Triple Rice Cake
Resene Half Villa White
Resene Half Villa White
Resene Quarter Villa White
Resene Quarter Villa White
August 2013

Q. I am building a house and choosing internal white for just about everywhere but am confused re so many whites and they all seem cream to me? I like the idea of a crisp bright white. There are lots of windows, sliders & stackers with mostly north and westerly light.

A. If you have lots of mostly north and westerly light, which is warm/yellow toned, even pure white may look a little creamy some of the time depending upon the time of the day. You could try the following 'whites' to see if they would suit you - Resene Double Alabaster, Resene Black White or Resene Half Merino. If you pop into your nearest Resene ColorShop and check these colours out in the larger A4 samples in the Colour Library please place a sheet of printer paper between them - this will help you judge what underlying tints are hiding in the colours. If you remove from the book and hold them up to the left of you and the right and directly in front of you, you will see them undergo another series of changes. Always trial colours in the place they are being used. Use a Resene testpot painted two coats onto A2 card leaving a narrow unpainted border all around the edges and you will be able to move the sample around - all walls and all rooms - to see what the natural light does to the colour.

Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Half Merino
Resene Half Merino
August 2013

Q. I have relocated to a new venue and would like to upgrade the toilets. They currently have red lino. I would like to paint the partitions black. What would be a good colour for the walls? I want a burlesque theme.

A. Have you considered painting the walls a charcoal/black instead of the partitions? You might look at Resene Gumboot. The partition walls could be a silver metallic paint finish, such as Resene Exponent - randomly brushed in all directions so if they needed to be re-painted at any time it would be much easier to achieve. Very large silver framed or cut glass mirrors, perhaps with graphics etched into them of dancing legs Can Can style, might suit your theme.

Resene Gumboot
Resene Gumboot
Resene Exponent
Resene Exponent
August 2013

Q. We have a B&B with 4 bathrooms that have almond ivory fittings. We can`t afford to change the fittings. I would love to update the bathrooms by painting them. What colour would lift these rooms?

A. I know this almond ivory colour and it's tends to look slightly biscuity/peach - it can make life a bit difficult with options for changing the look of the bathrooms. You might like to try:
neutrals - Resene Quarter Spanish White, Resene Quarter Malta or Resene Biscotti
or for a more definite colour - Resene Secrets, Resene Fantail or Resene Half Kumutoto.

Soft milo and chocolate coloured towels always look good with almond ivory bathrooms also.

Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Malta
Resene Quarter Malta
Resene Biscotti
Resene Biscotti
Resene Secrets
Resene Secrets
Resene Fantail
Resene Fantail
Resene Half Kumutoto
Resene Half Kumutoto
August 2013

Q. We've just bought a Tudor style house that needs the exterior gable ends, veranda decking and arches, trims etc painted. It has an orange tile roof, Oamaru stone cladding and brown aluminium windows. What colour would you recommend to tie in with the roof, Oamaru stone windows etc?

A. You could try the following colours as they may help the main elements of your home tie in together in a compatible way: Resene Triple Tea, Resene Quarter Masala, Resene Triple Bison Hide or Resene Double Tapa. There are lighter versions of these colours also and of course there is the stone colour itself that can be used. It can be difficult when very definite main colours won't allow another to enter into a set palette but these colours are earthy, brownish or grey/green brown and hopefully they will marry well with the windows and the soft cream Oamaru stone and the roof.

Resene Triple Tea
Resene Triple Tea
Resene Quarter Masala
Resene Quarter Masala
Resene Triple Bison Hide
Resene Triple Bison Hide
Resene Double Tapa
Resene Double Tapa
August 2013

Q. My (ex) state house was probably built in the 50s. There is a concrete perimeter foundation. It’s mostly timber weatherboard and some board and batten between the windows on the west side with a concrete tile roof. Having little colour taste I just started painting with white just to get something started. I was just going to paint everything white so I didn't even have to cut in the windows. I thought with the white walls I could possibly do something interesting with the trim later on. Then I came across the idea of an achromatic scheme in a Resene Colour Choices booklet. The idea has grown on me. Possibly a bit pretentious for a little state house but what the heck. There are plenty of blues, greens and reds around me and the simple scheme will be good under the hot sun. Am now thinking along the lines of a dark foundation and front entrance steps (Resene Cinder, Resene Bunker, charcoal? ), white walls. Roof, windows and doors a grey that can be as bluey as possible without being actually blue, and maybe one other shade for the board and batten and/or the fascia.

A. A simple achromatic scheme will look splendid - have no fears in that regard. Your house will be the one that never ever dates and always looks elegant and timeless. Perhaps you could look at these colours to see if they are right for you - Resene New Denim Blue or Resene Grey Friars for the roof and Resene Quarter Grey Friars or Resene Quarter Tuna for the foundation and the steps. If the front door is very sheltered from the direct sun and weather perhaps you could do a sleek, glossy Resene Double Cod Grey or Resene Cinder.

I am not sure about the board and battens between the windows being highlighted as it could look like a zebra or piano keys. Minimise and simplify it unless it is an architectural feature that is so amazing you want it highlighted so everyone looks only at that and not at the rest of the house. The little surrounds around the windows being a colour - likewise - keep it simple. Windows look larger if they aren't curtailed by little 'fenced frames of colour' around them. Windowsills can be picked out though. Barge boards and fascias being high attract a lot of weathering - you may like to paint them lighter to minimise maintenance. I would avoid a really dark foundation and steps as it will lower the height of the house.

Resene New Denim Blue
Resene New Denim Blue
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Tuna
Resene Quarter Tuna
Resene Double Cod Grey
Resene Double Cod Grey
Resene Cinder
Resene Cinder
August 2013

Q. We are building a new home, below are the colours we are using. Do you think Resene Karma will look ok with Resene Eighth Napa on ceiling/doors as I'm concerned the colour tones are wrong? Would be great if you can make any other suggestions on our colours below. Also what colour carpet would be best? We are planning - ceilings, doors, frames, window reveals Resene Eighth Napa, main wall colour Resene Half Napa (with some walls in wallpaper), two bedrooms in Resene Double Stonehenge, two bedrooms in Resene Bluff, bathroom, mud room and splashback in Resene Karma.

A. The Resene Napa palette throws a lot of pink/brown when placed anywhere near Resene Karma. So the question is - does the Resene Napa stay in the scheme of things and the Resene Karma is replaced or does the Resene Karma stay because you can't bear to live without it and all the neutrals change to accommodate it? The only colour that truly likes Resene Karma is Resene Bluff because it is grey enough to allow Resene Karma to be 'wonderful'. If the Resene Napa palette of colours stays (with Resene Bluff and Resene Stonehenge) then perhaps you could look at using one of these options for the splashback - Resene Clockwork Orange, Resene Koru, Resene Wanaka or Resene Bonfire. If you’d like to keep Resene Karma as a feature, you could look at the Resene Parchment palette of colours, which works well with Resene Bluff and Resene Double Stonehenge.

For carpet colours you may need to see what will look similar to Resene Half Stonehenge as a guide. Carpet colours have the greatest influence on how everything else is seen. There is far less carpet options to choose from than paint colours so choose that first and then find the paint colours that look good with it - not the other way around as this may stop you having what you want because the paint colours dictate what they will or won't work with.

Resene Karma
Resene Karma
Resene Eighth Napa
Resene Eighth Napa
Resene Bluff
Resene Bluff
Resene Double Stonehenge
Resene Double Stonehenge
Resene Half Napa
Resene Half Napa
Resene Clockwork Orange
Resene Clockwork Orange
Resene Koru
Resene Koru
Resene Wanaka
Resene Wanaka
Resene Bonfire
Resene Bonfire
Resene Parchment
Resene Parchment
Resene Half Stonehenge
Resene Half Stonehenge
 
August 2013

Q. I have a large sunny lounge and dining area. The dining has tiles of a polished concrete nature and lounge pale moss green carpet. I am leaning towards Resene Sisal for the walls and white trim, but would like a feature wall in the lounge. Something deep blue/grey - what would you recommend?

A. You might look at the following colours to see if they inspire you: Resene Wind Talker, Resene Jetsetter or Resene Innocence. Resene Innocence carries a wee bit more green/greyness which may work well with the carpet colour.

Resene Sisal
Resene Sisal
Resene Wind Talker
Resene Wind Talker
Resene Jetsetter
Resene Jetsetter
Resene Innocence
Resene Innocence
August 2013

Q. We are looking to paint our bathroom and toilet area. The rest of the house is painted Resene Half Spanish White. The bathroom toilet area is a mixture of creamy tiles on the floor and white tiles halfway up the walls, so we are thinking of a popular white colour.

A. There are so many popular whitish colours - people usually choose a colour that will relate to the other rooms in the house for the most part. You might like to try Resene Half Solitaire, Resene Quarter Solitaire, Resene Quarter Tea, Resene Eighth Tea, Resene Eighth Akaroa, Resene Quarter Spanish White or Resene Eighth Spanish White.

Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Half Solitaire
Resene Half Solitaire
Resene Quarter Solitaire
Resene Quarter Solitaire
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Eighth Tea
Resene Eighth Tea
Resene Eighth Akaroa
Resene Eighth Akaroa
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
August 2013

Q. We would like to change the exterior colour from the existing natural orangey cedar stain. The exterior walls are rough profile cedar, joinery is brown metal, roof is beige/olive.

A. I think your powder coat roof may be COLORSTEEL® Lichen and the windows may possibly be COLORSTEEL® Lignite. I can see that the colour you have now is blotchy with some darkened patches so in order to get a new look perhaps you could look at the following wood stain colours: Resene Waterborne Woodsman Iroko, Tiri, Banjul or Equilibrium. I recommend that you trial with Woodsman testpots the colours in an unobtrusive spot for two reasons - (1) stain is semi-transparent so the new colour will show some of the previous colour. Unlike paint, stain doesn’t block out the old coating completely and one coat may still show the previous stain colour - not so obvious with two coats, and (2) You have to like it - and trialing it is the only way to see truly what it looks like.

COLORSTEEL Lichen
COLORSTEEL® Lichen
COLORSTEEL Lignite
COLORSTEEL® Lignite
Resene Iroko
Resene Iroko
Resene Tiri
Resene Tiri
Resene Banjul
Resene Banjul
Resene Equilibrium
Resene Equilibrium
August 2013

Q. My brick home built in 2000 is currently being fixed. The house was built as a spec and painted cream throughout with mustard cupboard doors in the kitchen. A few months ago I changed the kitchen cupboard doors to Feather White with S.S. handles. I have chosen Resene Quarter Akaroa for all the walls with Resene Black White trims. I am loving the look. The terracotta floor tiles are being replaced with neutral colour tiles. What colour wheel patterns would you suggest I bring in? My carpet is the blue/teal/aqua that was widely used in 2000 and beyond.

A. I think your Resene Quarter Akaroa and Resene Black White and new kitchen cabinet colour of Feather White are really great choices - no wonder you are so pleased! It is your carpet that is the key colour in the house as it is in most rooms. If you look at these colours you may find a nice little palette happening for you: Resene Emerge, Resene Boulevard, Resene Akaroa and Resene Viaduct. If the blue/green tones don't sit so well with the carpet the secret is to see what other similar tones look better with the carpet. Your main colour will work with lots of colours but the carpet 'rules' in regard to best co-ordinates.

Resene Quarter Akaroa
Resene Quarter Akaroa
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Emerge
Resene Emerge
Resene Boulevard
Resene Boulevard
Resene Akaroa
Resene Akaroa
Resene Viaduct
Resene Viaduct
August 2013

Q. I am opening a bar here in Japan and want to use ‘Kiwi’ colours. The cafe is small as normal Japanese buildings.

A. I am a follower of a learned Japanese colour psychologist Shigenobu Kobayashi from the Nippon Color & Design Research Institute so the basis of my reply to you relates to his Color Image Scale books as well as to my inherent Kiwi sense of style and colour. Japanese people think of New Zealand as a green and natural, vigorous, sporty, active, dynamic place so with that in mind and being mindful of your brief - small space kiwi style bar/cafe in Japan - here are some suggestions that you might consider: Resene Robin Hood (almost peacock green), Resene Galliano (a dense honey gold) and Resene Foundry (a warm charcoal). These three combine to create an active sporty image - Kiwis are famous for our sports.

Alternatively you might also look at these colours - Resene Clockwork Orange (bold retro orange 1960s influenced), Resene Koru (fresh grass green) and Resene Hive (hot intense gold). These three combine to create an enjoyable, festive and flamboyant spirit - very Kiwi in mood. Where these colours would be used and which would be the primary colour and which would be the accents is up to you. Placement of colours must always take into account flooring, seating, bar areas, staff clothing as well as wall colours and an entry door statement. Generally there would always be fundamental neutrals like greys and whites and blacks used to offset these bright colours - the Japanese use blacks as a 'formal' colour statement and greys are considered 'chic and modern' and pure white is considered 'crystalline, bright and somewhat Western' in ambiance.

Resene Robin Hood
Resene Robin Hood
Resene Galliano
Resene Galliano
Resene Foundry
Resene Foundry
Resene Clockwork Orange
Resene Clockwork Orange
Resene Koru
Resene Koru
Resene Hive
Resene Hive
August 2013

Q. I have dark wooden floors and wooden ceiling. What colour should I apply on the doors?

A. Perhaps you might consider painting them to match the wall? With dark wooden floors and a wooden ceiling you do have a lot of [dark] wood so if the doors were painted to match the walls it would keep the overall look light and bright. Or alternatively you could paint the doors to match the window frames if they are white.

August 2013

Q. My house paint is Resene Finch. We would like to have another colour on the walls on the deck to break up the colour in front of the house. The roof colour is Grey Friars. I would also like to stain or oil my deck (pine) - tried your Resene Woodsman Neutral, but found it too yellow.

A. Pine is a very pale wood and the Resene Natural stain on pine would - as you say - look too a bit yellow. If you want the pale pine to look more coloured and interesting (as it looks perhaps when it is wet as it looks darker) then perhaps you could look at Resene Woodsman Decking Stain tinted to Resene Pickled Bean, Resene Driftwood or Resene Nutmeg or a half and half combination of these two colours. Try the Resene Waterborne Woodsman testpots on off-cuts of pine to see how the colours look. Two coats is the recommendation and this often adds more depth of colour to the wood as well as protection from the elements. Have you considered painting the garage doors to add a bit of contrast to the overall Resene Finch look? You might look at Resene Quarter Grey Friars so there is a bit of close co-ordination back to the roof colour or for a greener based neutral, try Resene Half Gravel.

Resene Finch
Resene Finch
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Pickled Bean
Resene Pickled Bean
Resene Driftwood
Resene Driftwood
Resene Nutmeg
Resene Nutmeg
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Half Gravel
 
August 2013

Q. Our painters have a gap in their schedule and can come and do our job in the next couple of days. I need a neutral combination for the interior of our villa with kauri floors/ The natural light is medium to poor. Please help!

A. There are literally hundreds of possibilities in neutral colour combinations that might work but if you race ahead without trialling the colours in your rooms you may end up disappointed as you need time to check how colour responds to changing light (natural and artificial) as well as how it will work with your existing soft furnishings, curtains, duvets etc. Colours are so changeable it would be awful if you just chose quickly under pressure and then found later that it wasn't as nice as you hoped it would be.

If the painters arrive early and you are still uncertain get them to do all the ceilings in Resene White - it will keep them busy while you check out the following colour combinations: Resene Eighth Parchment - in the dimmest/shadiest rooms and Resene Quarter Parchment - in the largest/sunniest rooms, or Resene Half Albescent White - in the dimmest/shadiest rooms and Resene Albescent White - in the largest/sunniest rooms, or Resene Quarter White Pointer - in the dimmest/shadiest rooms and Resene Half White Pointer - in the largest/sunniest rooms. Colour tends to look a lot stronger in an interior and deeper than you think it will be in rooms that aren't blessed with light so lighter is better. The colours may appear quite pale to you but probably won't look like that when all four walls are painted.

Resene White
Resene White
Resene Eighth Parchment
Resene Eighth Parchment
Resene Quarter Parchment
Resene Quarter Parchment
Resene Half Albescent White
Resene Half Albescent White
Resene Albescent White
Resene Albescent White
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Half White Pointer
Resene Half White Pointer
 
August 2013

Q. Can you please tell me if half strength Resene Pattens Blue on my bedroom walls with Resene White on the skirtings, window frame and door frame will achieve a fresh look or is there not enough contrast? The room is 3.6m x 3.2m x 3.1m.

A. I think the contrast will be ok. Generally colour appears a little stronger when all four walls are painted. The 'real' Resene White is a sharp/clean contrast that will enhance the freshness of the wall colour. If a room is incredibly bright all day, so bright that at any time you need to wear sunglasses, then that would be the only scenario that I could imagine the colour washing out and the contrast levels being less distinct.

Resene Pattens Blue
Resene Pattens Blue
Resene White
Resene White
August 2013

Q. I would like advice for a feature wall in the kitchen. The cabinets are all beige and the wall has a plain glass splashback behind the cook top. What colour am I best do to the rest of the wall in?

A. For the main wall colour I would suggest that you use a slightly beige white so that the cabinets appear deeper and more interesting and the feature wall stands out. Because I am not sure whether the beige of your cabinets is brown, yellow or pink based perhaps you might look at the following options to see if they might work as the main wall colour: Resene Eighth Spanish White, Resene Quarter Albescent White or Resene Quarter Blanc. A feature colour could be nearly anything - there are so many options but you might like to try: Resene Boulevard, Resene Shiraz, Resene Kombi or Resene Waterfront.

Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Quarter Alabscent White
Resene Quarter Albescent White
Resene Quarter Blanc
Resene Quarter Blanc
Resene Boulevard
Resene Boulevard
Resene Shiraz
Resene Shiraz
Resene Kombi
Resene Kombi
Resene Waterfront
Resene Waterfront
 
August 2013

Q. We are going to repaint the outside of the family bach. We are wanting a beach bach theme and wondered if you could recommend some colour combinations for the weatherboards and roof. We need something that will withstand the heat that the North produces and the surf just down the road from the property.

A. As you have dark bronze/brown windows, I would suggest that you use a little brown on the house to tie them into the overall look and perhaps the roof would be best in that sort of colour also. You might like to try Resene Quarter Ironsand or lighter Resene Double Pravda. For the weatherboards you might like to try Resene Thorndon Cream or Resene Half Emerge.

Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Double Pravda
Resene Double Pravda
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Emerge
Resene Half Emerge
August 2013

Q. Are you able to suggest a Resene roof colour to complement exterior walls in Resene Kilamanjaro with white trim. This is on an older beach side cottage and we would prefer a light colour.

A. You might look at the following colours to see if they are what you are looking for - they are medium/light and may appear lighter again if the roof presents a 45 degree angle to the sun: Resene Settlement, Resene Gauntlet, Resene Lattitude or Resene Half Pravda.

Resene Kilamanjaro
Resene Kilamanjaro
Resene Settlement
Resene Settlement
Resene Gauntlet
Resene Gauntlet
Resene Lattitude
Resene Lattitude
Resene Half Pravda
Resene Half Pravda
August 2013

Q. I'm looking at painting a wall in my daughter’s room. We are looking for the colour closest to Tiffany Blue.

A. That colour is a Tiffany & Co trademark. Because of that it might be wise to use a similar colour rather than the same colour. I suggest that you might like to look at Resene Morning Glory, Resene Fountain Blue or Resene Kumutoto.

Resene Morning Glory
Resene Morning Glory
Resene Fountain Blue
Resene Fountain Blue
Resene Kumutoto
Resene Kumutoto
August 2013

Q. We will be having grey polished concrete and would like to match the wall colours. Like a warm light grey.

A. There are so many greys tones and some look warm in some rooms and the same colour can look cool in other rooms dependent upon the light, other coloured elements i.e curtains, duvets, lounge furniture etc. It would be best to trial testpots carefully within the rooms to see what will happen to the colour. You might like to try: Resene Flotsam, Resene Half Flotsam, Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, Resene White Pointer or Resene Double Sea Fog.

Resene Flotsam
Resene Flotsam
Resene Half Flotsam
Resene Half Flotsam
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
August 2013

Page 08

Colours are a representation only. Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.

 

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Colours shown on this website are a representation only. Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.   See measurements/conversions for more details on how electronic colour values are achieved.

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